To Boldly Go
by shandromand
Summary: Remnant: Everyone has lost, except for the Grimm. A survey mission explores the ruins of a fallen civilization, only to discover a surprising artifact: Penny Polendina. (WARNING: This is a sad story!) I don't have any immediate plans to continue this, but perhaps in the near future I will look again.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - What's this? Another WPW entry so soon? Well! That's because Penny bonds with another robot from a fictional AU. And we all know how much I love best girl Penny. :)**

 **The Last Remnant**

* * *

Captain's Log, Stardate 45416.2

 _The Enterprise has arrived at the Pelennor System in the Black Cluster to begin a two week survey of the system's sole planet. Initial teams have encountered ruins of an ancient civilization, however the indigenous creatures have proven to be somewhat hostile. I have added security personnel to the away missions, which seems to have been sufficient for the time being._

 _Of particular interest is a crystalline substance, which seems to display a wide variety of effects (see report E4259, Cmdr LaForge). The society that once lived on Pelennor I appears to have been pre-warp, and the ultimate cause of their demise is uncertain._

 _One final note, Cmdr. LaForge has made an intriguing discovery, an android of some sort. He has requested permission to bring it aboard, along with samples of the crystalline material. I have chosen to grant his request, and await the results of his research. Despite the machine's great age, we may perhaps learn more of the peoples' fate._

* * *

At first, there was only darkness. Penny tried to look around, but found that in addition to being unable to see, she could not move. She could, however, hear.

"Geordi, the android's systems – to be – online, howev—not stable"

'Hello?' she tried to say. Who was this 'Geordi'? Where was Mr. Ironwood? Strange… _Who_ was this Mr. Ironwood? She knew it was important, but she was having difficulty accessing her primary storage.

"Let's try br—ing the power—onlin—" she felt a tingling, and then her arm – she had an arm? Someone had found her and was trying to bring her back online! She still couldn't see, but she could feel her limb twitch in response. "Wait a second, _there_ we go. How does it look now, Data?" She tried to speak again, but no words would come. She could feel her systems start to come back online, but it was very slow.

"The power system seems to be stabilizing. I will attempt to bring her primary logic system back online." There were a series of beeps and warbles, and her eyes opened. She found herself staring up at a beige-colored ceiling. She tried to sit up, but found that she still could not move, and when she tried to speak, her jaw moved, but no words came out. "Ah, it – she is awake."

A very pale man with dark, slicked back hair leaned into view. "Greetings," he said. She tried to reply with 'Salutations', but found that she still had no voice. "Ah, yes, one moment. I will attempt to repair your vocal circuits. Please try not to move."

He reached for something, and a higher pitched warble emitted from something he held while he held up another object that beeped and chittered. His pale yellow eyes were intent on whatever it was he was holding, while his other hand passed some kind of device over her throat. He would occasionally move slender fingers over the handheld device, which made corresponding beeps. Whatever he was doing made her eyes twitch and flutter, but she was otherwise able to do as he had asked.

After a minute and twenty seconds, he placed the stubby cylinder into the end of the little box and flipped the lower half up. "I believe I have corrected the instability. Can you talk now?"

"Salutations," she said with a smile, which faltered when she heard her voice. It didn't sound right, and she engaged a diagnostic. The subroutine found a set of partially corroded circuitry that was only partially functional, and it would need to be replaced. "Where am I?"

The man leaned in three inches closer and said, "You are on board the Federation Starship Enterprise. My name is Data." Another man came into her periphery, and she looked at him. He was dark-skinned, and wore a strange object over his eyes. Both men wore gold and black long-sleeved shirts.

"Hello," she said to the new man. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Are you Geordi?"

"That's right," he replied with a grin. "Can you tell us your name?"

She paused to search her memory and found very large gaps of fragmented data. After a moment of searching, she replied, "My name is Penny. I would shake your hand, but I'm not able to move."

He nodded at that with a wry twist of his lips. "Yeah, when we found you, you were heavily damaged and in pieces. For whatever reason, the alloy of your endoskeleton resisted our efforts to repair it." He looked up at the pale man.

"Since we were unsuccessful in our initial attempts to put you back together, entire pieces had to be replaced with a facsimile comprised of molybdenum-cobalt alloy."

"Goodness! That sounds complicated. I hope it wasn't too much trouble, Data." She tried to understand what he was saying. The part about her internal skeleton made sense, but she had no knowledge of the metal he described."

Geordi pressed a few buttons on the wall to her left and came back over. "It's no trouble, Penny. We had to stop, though, once we realized your power core was reaching critical levels." She couldn't quite see what he was doing, but she could feel a slight, brief vibration. The table she lay on angled upward. "I'm going to unlock the cervical vertebrae so you can look around, but we need to keep the rest of you immobilized for now."

There was a quiet clunk behind her head, and she was able to look around as the room rose into view. The walls were adorned with a variety of cheerfully colored displays, all sweeping lines and little blocks. One screen held a large representation of what must be her bones, which looked a little silly. Another series of images were displayed next to it, and they were different aspects of her: circuits, wiring, even the cabling that served as her muscles.

The window in the room, however, was the most startling sight. There were stars, and she could just see a wide band of blues and greens arcing across the bottom edge. There was a kind of glow to it, and it made her gasp. "What is that?" she asked excitedly. "It's beautiful!"

Data turned his head to follow her gaze for a moment before turning his attention back to her. "That is the planet on which we found you." Penny's eyes grew wide. "We're in a high, geosynchronous orbit above Pelennor One."

"Oh! We're in space? Your ship flies in space?" She wasn't sure why that surprised her, but it did. Then she looked down at herself. A wide band of metal laid across her chest and arms, which she deduced was what kept her from sliding down the table. "Oh my," she said in dismay. The reason they had strapped her down was because everything below her torso lay completely separate from the rest of her body.

"Ah, yes," Data said. "As Geordi stated we had to interrupt our reconstruction efforts in order to preserve what little remaining power you had." Several cables were laid over the edge of the table where they disappeared from sight. "I apologize for not having completed the work, but your power requirements were very precise; it took time to determine the correct frequency and voltage."

"And now that we've taken care of that, we can get back to-" Geordi began, but was interrupted by a disembodied voice.

"Riker to LaForge."

He reached up and tapped a pointed badge on his chest. "LaForge here."

"Geordi, we're having some problems with the sensor array at the remote observation post that could use your expertise."

Geordi nodded and said, "On my way, sir." He reached across the table and handed a pad of some kind to his companion. "I shouldn't be gone long, Data. If you need a hand, I can have Sorensen join you?"

Data shook his head as he accepted the device. "I believe I can manage while you are gone, Geordi. Thank you." He turned to go.

"It was nice to meet you, Geordi LaForge," Penny said with a smile. "Thank you for helping put me back together."

He grinned back at her and patted her on the shoulder. "It was nice to meet you too, Penny. You're in good hands with Data. In fact, I'll bet he'll have you sorted out before I even get back." He gave her a final nod and disappeared behind her. She heard a hiss, followed by another two seconds later, and then he was gone.

Data had pulled her legs and hips closer to the rest of her body and began reconnecting wiring. His movements were fast and precise – too much so, it seemed to her. "Are you an artificial person, too?" she asked.

Data looked at her with his brows furrowed as he considered the question, and then they went up. "Hm! I have never thought of it like that, but that _is_ an apt description." He face held a thoughtful look for a moment, and then he bent back to his work. "The proper term is android."

"Android," she said slowly, savoring the foreign word. "Hmmm. It's shorter, but I like artificial person better for some reason."

Her fellow android tilted his head this way, and then the other way. "I suppose it does hold an essence of poetry." He worked for several minutes in silence, and he referred to the small device that he had flipped open and laid on her left thigh. "I believe I have completed reconnecting the servos for this leg." He tapped a few buttons and suddenly the sensors began reporting information to her. Unfortunately, the flood of data also caused it to twitch and kick rather violently.

Data clamped a firm hand down on her knee to keep it from striking him, and then applied a slow effort to push it back onto the table. While he restrained her leg, he tapped more keys without looking, and the offending appendage flopped back onto the table with a hollow thud. While he had done that, Penny had reviewed the sensor log.

"You appear to have crosslinked the twenty third and twenty-second nodes by mistake. If you show me the schematic, I can point them out for you." These people were being kind enough to put her back together – the least she could do was help them with it. He produced an electronic pad and called up the appropriate diagram and pointed to each node until she could identify the problem area.

They talked while he continued Penny's repairs – or rather she asked questions, and Data patiently answered them all. She learned about the United Federation of Planets, and that her world was just one of countless _thousands_ in the galaxy – a word she had no concept of until Data had explained it to her. The idea of alien races didn't bother her at all.

After all, Remnant had the Faunus, and…

Her train of thought came to a screeching halt. Her senses were flooded with information, to the point that it overwhelmed her vision. When she recovered, she found herself leaning against the window. The planet below was blue and green, but there were many large patches of ugly black and red. She couldn't remember why, but she had a sinking feeling that it couldn't be a good thing.

Data came to stand beside her. "Penny, is something wrong?"

She shook her head back and forth, as if it might shake loose her missing memories. "I don't know. I can't seem to remember anything after leaving Atlas Academy with Mister Ironwood. Even that is spotty at best. It's as if there are huge pieces missing."

'Yes, your storage scheme is a mix of solid state and volatile memory in a multi-tiered structure. Some were damaged, while others have degraded. Your core system," he indicated by holding a hand up to her head, "was surprisingly stable, especially given how long it was exposed to the elements. Perhaps you should come back to the table."

Penny stared at the planet below forlornly. "How long? Was there anything there with m-?" She turned away from the window and faced Data. His shirt was torn, and there was a deep gash that exposed blinking lights. "Oh, no! You are damaged!"

After everything he had done for her, too! She looked over at the table she'd left behind. The band that had held her up in place was broken and bent at a wicked angle. Sparks shot out of the side of the table, which trailed ripped cabling that led to her, and ended somewhere inside the cavity above her hip. "I'm so sorry, Data. You must be terribly upset with me…"

Data looked down at the injury and inspected it as best he could. Her bottom lip quivered when he looked back up at her, face impassive. "I am incapable of anger, Penny, or any emotion for that matter. The damage is minimal – easily repaired."

Penny clasped her hands over her chest. "Are you sure? I feel terrible…"

Data looked surprised at her statement. "You are able to feel emotions?" She nodded. "Intriguing." He studied her, but was interrupted by that same hissing sound. A man and a woman entered the room swiftly, holding small, oblong objects in their hands.

"Sir, is everything alright in here?" the woman asked cautiously.

Data waved a hand, and they lowered their weapons. "Everything is fine, crewman. There was a minor mishap, but the moment has passed. You may return to your stations."

The woman took in the state of the room, noting the jagged edge of the armature with narrowed eyes. "Aye, sir." The pair reversed direction and left.

"Perhaps it would be wise to return to the workstation, Penny. Your power cells are not fully recharged yet. It would be unfortunate if you were to remain disconnected for the time being." She made a small noise of assent and reached down to take up the loose cable as she walked back to the table with him. He removed the pieces of the broken arm from the table and set them aside.

Data spent a few minutes replacing the torn cables with new ones, and he got her plugged in to the ship's power system again. He resumed work, and for a while Penny was reluctant to ask more questions. He reached a stopping point thirty eight minutes later. "I must attend my duty station soon. Please remain here and allow your power cells to fully recharge. If you need anything, the security officers will be right outside the door."

He turned to go, and Penny stretched a hand out to grab his shoulder. "Data, wait." He stopped and faced her again. "How long was I… down there like that? Do you know?"

He took a breath, and then tilted his head. "Are you certain you wish to know, Penny? You may not like the answer."

"I… I think I need to know. How long?"

Data inclined his head. "The decay rate on your power system was constant. Assuming a full charge when you went offline, it has been five hundred forty seven years, four months, two days." Her jaw opened in shock, but she nodded jerkily and let go of him. "I shall return soon," he said. He took a few steps, and then came back, though she hardly noticed. He opened a blue cylinder that was laid on its side and took out a small, shiny object. He returned to the table and held it out to her. "You were found only with this."

She took the bit of metal from him and stared at it. "Thank you, Data," she murmured. If she had barely noticed his brief return, she completely missed his exit. The object was flat and silver, engraved in the image of a flowering rose. She stared at it for a very long time, and the longer she looked, the sadder she became, but she didn't know why.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - Hello, friends! I know it's been a little while since I've been back here. Moles and trolls, all I do is work, work, work (or at least that's how it feels). I _have_ been writing, I promise. For those of you still following along with Fang and Thorn, or Penny and Rime, I hope to have new chapters for you soon. In the meantime, a labor of love from WPW 100, a special event to commemorate the centennial episode of Writing Prompt Wednesday: "Write a sequel to a previous WPW entry." If you need a refresher, head on back to chapter 21, but before you read, I should warn you: There are some very unhappy moments within, but if you have the strength of will to push through, I think it will be worth it. I don't know if I will continue this, but perhaps - no promises! Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by! =]**

To Boldly Go

* * *

 **Stardate 45424.7**

Penny was very nervous as she followed Data through the corridors of Deck Thirty-Six. The source of her anxiety lay not in this strange and impressive ship. Once Data and Geordi were both satisfied that her systems were stable, Data had taken the time to give her a tour of the ship when he was off-duty. This deck was very familiar to her.

Main Engineering was a busy place; it was always filled with people going about their duties. The murmur of voices complemented by the pulsating thrum of the warp core, and every member of the crew had been incredibly kind – some had even taken the time to get to know her, and she them.

In spite of her worry, she still could not help but marvel at the Enterprise. It was a massive, technological wonder, and she was amazed at the level of its sophistication. Even more surprising was that there were over a thousand people on board – and not just people, but children; whole families lived and worked and went to school in space. Space. Penny was in _space._

As they approached the turbolift, her sense of trepidation grew stronger. She had been aboard the ship for three days, and now it was time to meet her captain. Her discomfort must have been obvious to Data. "Truly, Penny, there is no need to be afraid," he reassured her. "The captain is a fair man. He simply wants to get to know you and ask you some questions."

"I know, Data. I just don't know what answers I can give." Meeting the captain wasn't what was bothering her. "I'm sure he's a kind man, but what will become of me afterward?" She had come to understand that these people had little care for money or possessions. That didn't mean they weren't hoping for something in return. While her repairs had been efficient, they had still expended considerable resources in doing so.

"I see. You are worried about what will happen to you when it is time for us to depart." She looked up at him and nodded. He considered her with those yellow eyes, and the hum of the lift ebbed quietly in the background. She knew that there was nothing waiting for her on the planet below but the creatures of Grimm, that and ruins. "Androids are treated the same as humans or any other sentient beings are within the Federation. We have the same rights and privileges as any other individuals. You will have the freedom to choose what happens to you."

"Was that not always the case, Data?" She was pleased to hear this, but his tone suggested that it hadn't always been so.

He tilted his head to the side. "Several years ago, I was to be compulsorily disassembled for study, in the hopes that my design could be replicated," he said simply.

"That's terrible!" Her hands rose to ball up in front of her chest. "What happened?" Obviously he was still here, but she couldn't imagine being forced to have such a thing done to her.

"Captain Picard successfully argued for my status as a sentient being. Furthermore, he was able to do so as a legal precedent." He said it dispassionately, but Penny couldn't help but feel relief at his revelation. Certainly her creators had treated her as a person, but they were gone now. "Because of this, you will be able to decide your own fate."

"But what could that be? Where would I go?" She stared down at the carpet. "What would I do? Everything I knew is gone." It was impossible to keep the edge of despair from her voice. What she could remember of her life had been filled with structure, purpose. Now that Remnant had no more people, it no longer existed in any meaningful way. Her fingers brushed the silver medallion clipped to her hip.

The hum began to wind down. "I am certain we can help you determine your next steps, Penny – if that is what you wish. We have not restored you only to abandon you. It is not our way." He gave her a gentle, if awkward pat on the shoulder, and she tilted her face up to give him a relieved smile. The lift slid to a halt and the doors hissed open. As they stepped out onto the bridge, Penny paused. She had never been to this part of the ship, but was impressed at the sleek design, which was laid out in a circular shape. The crew looked up at their entrance, one or two even smiled at her, though their attention quickly returned to their assigned stations.

Data gently pulled at her elbow and guided her a few meters down the ramp to a closed door, the captain's ready room, and pressed a key on the console next to it. "Come," she heard, and the door hissed open.

* * *

 **Stardate 45425.3**

Penny stared at the screen in consternation. It was filled with questions, many of which she was unable to answer. After her talk with Captain Picard, she had felt a little better about her prospects. He had offered several suggestions, but as Data had promised, he didn't press any one of them upon her. Most would require her to apply for citizenship in the Federation, a decision that should not be undertaken lightly. Instead, he had arranged these quarters so she could take time to make up her own mind.

The Enterprise would remain in orbit for several more days while the away teams completed construction of a field observatory. Starfleet would be sending a proper research team from a place called Deep Space Three soon. The captain had offered to let her remain behind and prepare for their arrival, if that was what she wanted. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to endure being alone for that long, though she appreciated the gesture.

The rooms were much more spacious than the science lab, and she was grateful to be allowed to remain on board. Data had explained that this deck normally housed visiting dignitaries and other important guests. At first she had shied away from the idea, but he had assured her that there were many more such as these. Furthermore, he had pointed out that, as the sole surviving member of the world below, she could be considered an ambassador of Remnant.

The sentiment had given her pause. She might very well be, but without anyone to represent, it was a hollow thing. Data had meant well, but she had accepted the rooms with a solemn demeanor.

She got up and wandered over to the couch by the viewport, pausing to stare out at the stars as they drifted by. The cabin was located on the starboard side of the ship, which did not afford her a view of Remnant. Perhaps that was for the best.

She caught her fingers as they stroked the bit of metal on her hip, and pulled it loose to examine it once again. She was certain it hadn't belonged to her, but if not, then whose had it been? She curled into the couch, tucked her knees up under her chin and wrapped her arms around them. No matter how hard she tried, all she could feel was a profound sense of loss. Nearly all of her choices led forward, away from the only home she'd ever known: It felt very, very wrong, no matter how logical it might be.

Penny knew that no good could come from feeling sorry for herself, but the reality of her situation had finally started to sink in. Her people were gone. Her father, Mister Ironwood, her friends – surely she'd had at least one or two, hadn't she? Her last clear recollection was being told that she was going to Vale to participate in the Vytal Tournament. If she had been able to cry, she might have; instead all she could do was to hug her legs tighter.

She sat that way for quite some time, alternately trying to remember the missing pieces of her life and wondering what would be the best way forward. Her wrangling was interrupted by a chirping tone. At first she failed to recognize what it was, until it sounded again. "Come in," she said. The doors hissed open and a woman entered.

"Hello, Penny," she said with a friendly smile. "My name is Deanna Troi. I came by to see how you were settling in." She was dressed in a plum-colored jumpsuit, and wore her long, curly black hair held back in a loose ponytail.

Penny did her best to smile and rose to cross the space between them. She offered her hand, which the slightly smaller woman clasped with her own. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Deanna. Won't you come in?" She waved her free hand at the nearby chairs. As they moved to sit, she pushed aside the sorrow as best she could. "I'm still getting used to all of this, but I'm glad of the distraction. I notice that you don't dress like most of the crew - what is it that you do aboard the Enterprise?"

"You're quite perceptive, Penny," she tilted her head in acknowledgement. "I have the rank of Lieutenant Commander, but I serve as the ship's counselor." She leaned in and her tone grew conspiratorial. "If I'm being honest, I find that wearing the uniform does less to put people at ease."

"That makes sense, I suppose," she replied. "Does this mean you're here to counsel me?"

The look Deanna gave her was a serious one, but her tone was friendly. "I can, if you have a need. The captain felt that you might benefit from a visit, but I would have come even without being asked to. Is something troubling you, Penny?"

At first, she was reluctant to say anything. Her shoulders slumped a little, and she turned her gaze to the floor. Without looking up, she said, "I was built for combat, you know. My purpose was to help my people fight the Creatures of Grimm." When Deanna said nothing, she continued. "I can clearly recall the time before… everything fell apart. It would seem that I failed, somehow." She held up the rose emblem. "Data tells me that this was all that was found with me. I don't recognize it, exactly, but I _do_ know it wasn't mine – I'm sure of that much."

"But you aren't able to remember who it might have belonged to?" she heard compassion in the woman's voice, but was unable to look at her.

She shook her head slowly. "It's almost as if the knowledge is right there, like a distant cry or a half-remembered smile…" Something about the silver tickled at the edges of her senses, and she closed her fingers around it in frustration. She looked up at Deanna. "The captain told me some of the things I might do now, but I don't know if I can make a decision. I need answers, and I'm afraid I won't find them here. I don't know what to do."

If her words sounded forlorn, they were having an effect on the counselor. The look on her face was somewhere between surprise and concern. "You _are_ afraid, aren't you? And I sense terrible loneliness as well." She took Penny's hands in her own. "I'm certain everyone is doing their very best, Penny. Is there anything we can do that might help you?"

This time her smile was less forced, if still a little uncertain. These people were so kind and thoughtful, but she almost felt as if she were abusing that goodwill. "I think… I think I need to go back to where I was found, or maybe back to Atlas Academy – or whatever might be left of it. Would that be possible?"

"Sometimes the only way to go forward is to retrace your steps." Deanna squeezed her hands gently. "I'll speak with the captain and see what we can do." She seemed to consider something for a moment, and then nodded, as if making up her mind. She stood, pulling Penny up with her. "Tell me, Penny, do you like chocolate?"

"I… don't know," she said with hesitation. She couldn't remember ever having tried any before. She knew _of_ it, which was strange. As her train of thought grappled with that unusual fact, it was interrupted by the counselor.

"Well, let's go to Ten-Forward and find out." Deanna flashed another smile and slid her hand into Penny's. "If not, at least it won't be quite so lonely."

* * *

 **Stardate 45429.9**

Penny joined Data, Lieutenant Worf, and Commander Riker on the transporter pad. Of all the amazing things she had seen or heard about, this was the most spectacular of them all. She was excited, and yet nervous at the same time. The thought of being converted into pure energy and beamed to another location and then put back together beggared belief.

"And you're sure this is safe?" she asked to no one in particular. Data had explained the mechanics of it, but it still sounded intimidating.

Chief O'Brien gave her a reassuring nod. "Transporter technology's been in use for more'n two centuries, Miss. Twenty odd years of doin' this, I've not lost one soul." He sounded supremely confident, but without any offense. His accent was a pleasant, roguish brogue that she found she liked very much.

Commander Riker turned his head to give her a big grin. "Of course, there are accidents, even with all the redundant systems, but they're rare. In the last decade or so, I think there might have been two or three." He craned his head further around. "Data?"

"Yes sir," he replied. "The failure rate over that period of time is approximately eighteen hundred-thousandths of a percent. Furthermore, each of those incidents were attributed to stellar or planetary phenomena that are not present here." He paused for a moment as if to say more, but Riker shook his head.

"I'm sure Mr. Data can go into more detail later." He winked at her. "Are you ready?"

She couldn't really argue with any of that. "Yes, Commander, I believe so." More questions would only delay them unnecessarily. If the risk was so small, it would be best to just get it over with.

Riker looked to Chief O'Brien and said, "Energize." A light sprung up around her, but she didn't feel a thing as everything went white. She hadn't expected to be aware during the transport, but she found herself looking into a bright void of whiteness. Two seconds later, it was replaced with a bleak landscape. The plain was red, and dotted with rocky formations of the same color. "See, Miss Polendina? Nothing to it." She nodded absently as she took in the surroundings. He let her look for a few moments, and then got her attention by raising his hand into her field of view. "Come on, the site is this way," he finished with a gesture of his head.

They turned as a group to move in the opposite direction. She wasn't prepared for the structure that rose up out of the ground. A massive jut of rock thrust up from the ground, but she could see where a building had once stood upon it. The lower levels had been carved from the rock itself, and the walls rose several stories up from there. There was no mistaking it, with gaping, darkened windows that seemed to stare at them in accusation. They were trespassers here, and unwelcome.

They moved forward at a brisk pace, unbothered by the heaviness in the air. The path to the entrance was a rough-hewn stairway. She pushed aside a sense of dread that seemed to cloak the place in unwelcome shadows. "This is where you found me?" She noted that they all seemed perfectly at ease, though she didn't miss how Worf's hand hovered near his weapon. Their teams had encountered the Grimm, and she had read the reports – to help provide insight into the beasts as best as she could.

"That's right, Riker replied. "The structure is largely intact, very little damage. There's not much in the way of light, though." He pointed at the portable lamp they had provided her with as he and the others reached for their own. Data had taken out a scanning device, and held it up as they walked through the open doorway. She took out the little device and turned it on.

As they entered, she could tell that this first room was rather large. It stretched back for several dozen meters, where she could make out a split-level staircase. The central part led down, while the flanking sides swept upward. The sides of the hall had large stone pillars every few feet, and they held up a balcony that ran around the perimeter of the room.

"Does any of this look familiar to you, Penny?" Data had apparently been satisfied with whatever his scanner had shown him, and had traded it for a lamp of his own. She looked around the cavernous room and considered. The only thing she felt was a slight sense of anxiety, but not because she remembered being here. She shook her head slowly. He made no reply, but instead aimed his light at the flight of stairs that led down.

As they descended, the sound of wind seemed to vanish. The silence was unsettling to her, but she made no comment as they went further down. The first landing they came to was perhaps ten meters long, and it was here that they encountered one of the advance away teams, security officers sent ahead to secure the area.

They halted for a moment. "Report," Worf ordered tersely.

The woman she had first encountered when she had been awakened stepped forward. "All quiet, Lietuenant. Silent as the grave," she added somewhat nervously. Penny wondered if she had run into the Grimm on another away mission. They continued downward, nearly a hundred stairs, with two more landings and security teams stationed at each.

Just when she thought that the staircase was bottomless, they arrived at a third landing, which ended at a large pair of stone doors that had been propped open. These were carved with sinuous lines that formed a sort of tribal depiction of Grimm, whose eyes were set with some sort of red gems. If Penny had been ill at ease before, she was downright uncomfortable now. She pushed harder – they had come all this way, and she needed to see it through.

The chamber that they entered was laid out in a large circle with more pillars that stretched up into darkness. The floor was carved in more of the sinister lines, which all focused on a large stone chair in the center of the room. She froze in her tracks as she spotted a glint of light that reflected on the far side, partly obscured by the imposing … throne – she could think of no other word. A glimmer of red reflected back from the shadows.

"Something you see, Penny?" She barely registered the question as coming from the Commander. She took a slow step, and then another. "Miss Polendina?" She didn't hear whatever might have come after as her faltering steps became larger strides, but somehow heavier with each one.

By the time she drew even with the chair, she was actively struggling to move forward. There was a noise from behind her – she thought it sounded like raised voices. "I'm fine," she murmured. "I.. just need.." The glint of light resolved into a long, thin shape, and as she got closer, it seemed to be embedded in the wall somehow. She reached out and grasped it. As soon as her fingers closed around the handle, she heard a young woman cry out. She sank to the ground, still firmly gripping the handle. Her eyes followed the shaft up to where it met the wall. A large, curved blade was buried halfway into the rock. _'Penny!'_

And she knew.

That voice, she would recognize it anywhere. Her vision blurred, and she felt tightness in her throat. The room began to shake. A single word formed in her mind, one that could not - _would_ not be ignored.

"Ruby," she whispered.

* * *

 **547 Years Ago...  
**  
"I don't trust her," Jaune growled. "After everything she's done, how can we?" He crossed his arms as he half-faced the rest of their group. They were standing on the edge of the Anima Badlands, arrayed in a semicircle. A dozen yards away, the woman known as Emerald Sustrai hovered a few feet off the ground, legs crossed in a sitting position. Penny kept a wary eye on her, as Jaune did. She could not miss the glow that surrounded her.

"I don't see how we have any choice," Ruby said wearily. "We threw everything we had at her and she brushed it off like it was nothing." Penny spared a glance for her friend, who wasn't quite sagging against Crescent Rose. She was breathing slowly, and it was clear – to Penny, at least – that her heart was racing. "She could still take us out, and we wouldn't be able to stop her – she's got three maidens' worth of power." Ruby glowered right back at Jaune. A rift had formed between them after Oscar had died, though neither would speak of it. "And she's willing to talk. When did her girlfriend ever bother to do that?"

Jaune didn't move a muscle, but his face grew stormy. "We side with her, we're walking into a trap, you do kno-"

"Atlas is _gone!_ Beacon is gone. Mistral's barely holding on, and who knows what's happened to Shade." Ruby was shaking. "She has the relics. We can't afford to play it safe anymore, Jaune. We're running out of time!" Ruby yanked her weapon out of the ground. "You can either get on board or get the f-#- ou%# o#"

The images grew distorted and pixilated.

 **===-=-##!14212addressnull=-=-=-==-**

 **#Res#$ing fr m n###xt st*bl# #a$5#dre01s11**

"-st s#y, I had not expected you to come yourselves. Few things impress me any longer, but I must admit, Ruby, this is quite brazen, even for you." The bone-white woman with the red eyes said. The stone chair she sat upon was imposing enough, but was made even more chilling by the writhing tendrils of blackness that grew out from it – from _her_. They stretched out to engulf four objects spread out before her. "Unfortunately, you are too late." And without another word, her eyes flared and the seething darkness roiled, bursting into a shadowy inferno; a ringing, keening sound reverberated through the room.

"Now!" Ruby shouted, as she rose from her knees. The room lit up with several explosions, igniting the Grimm surrounding them.

Salem's head whipped to her left. "EMERALD!" The others sprang into action as chaos erupted; Penny had already been given a target. She felt the rock beneath her feet fracture as she leapt at the big man, Hazel. He grunted in surprise as her fist connected with his jaw, and she locked her fingers together as she dropped. She swung her clenched hands at the inside of his right knee, and was rewarded with a sickening crack, immediately followed by a howl of pain just above her.

Unfortunately, the attack had left her open, and despite his shock (and likely not inconsiderable pain), the much larger man seized her by the back of her neck. There was a moment of panic as his grip tightened. Her pressure sensors all but keened at the disturbingly large numbers, and then she was sailing through the air. She crashed into someone, who yelped and tumbled away. She did a handspring and flipped up to a standing position just in time to see Hazel barreling towar$#

 **===-=##38122address null==-  
===-=##38123attem#tin corr*#tion-==  
===-=##38334co$rec#io## failur#==-**

 **#Resuming from next stable address##$...**

Penny stared up at stone arches. She could feel insistent tugs on the shoulders of her shirt, which was ripping with each motion. She could hear grunts of effort with each pull, until finally whoever was moving her could no longer do it.

Someone was weeping nearby, and Penny tried to prop herself up. She then recalled that one of her arms was heavily damaged while the other was missing entirely, as were both of her legs. There were so many errors and alarms that it nearly overwhelmed her vision. She began manually shutting down secondary systems and all but the most essential functions to preserve power.

She tried to speak, and her voice was extremely distorted. It took some effort, but she finally re-tasked her sub-vocal processor into a partially functional speaker. "Ruby?" she whispered. She felt a hand reach up to stroke her hair, singed though it was, but no reply came. "C-c-c-c-c-an y- s*t me up? I seem to be un-un-un-able."

She heard a deep, slow breath drawn in. "Y.. Yeah, I th.. I think so. Just.. need a minute." Penny closed her eyes and tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach and waited. After the eternity of a few seconds passed, she saw the room slowly tilt into view, and she felt herself being drawn up against Ruby's chest.

She immediately regretted asking to be moved.

Ren and Nora were huddled together, staring at two prone figures in shock. Blake and Yang lay unmoving, hands joined. Penny stared hard. _They weren't moving._ They weren't _breathing_. Penny looked away in sorrow, only to find another horrible scene. Weiss was knelt on the ground, and she was the source of the quiet sobs. She held Jaune's head in her lap. His breathing was shallow, but his torso was bare, and every inch of his skin was badly burned. He was saying something that Penny couldn't hear, but whatever it was only served to make Weiss shake her head and mouth the word 'no' over and over between shuddering breaths. Penny averted her gaze down to where Ruby's arms were crossed around her body.

"I'm s-s-s-sorry, Ruby. I wasn't able to pro—tect yo-"

Ruby raised a hand and pressed two fingers to her lips. "Shh, shh… It's okay, Penny. You did great." She pointed those same fingers at one side of the room. Penny followed the angle with her eyes and found Hazel sprawled, his neck bent at a wicked angle. Where his eyes should have been, two burnt patches of ragged skin remained. She felt sick, realizing that she'd done that to another person; wicked, hateful enemy or not.

She drew a shuddering breath and looked away, but she nodded. "Did... Did we win?"

Ruby didn't answer for a long time. Penny only worried a little: She could feel the rise and fall of her friend's breath. "I don't think so. We…" her voice caught in her throat, but she managed to force the words out. "We won the battle, but I think we lost the war." There was a pause. "The Relics are gone. Salem did something to them before she and Emerald killed one another."

Penny craned her head to the side and tried to look her friend in the eye. Her head was down, and her bangs obscured most of her face – what she could see was spattered with blood. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "My friend – Ruby, I'm… so sorry…" She didn't know what else to say.

Ruby shook her head. "I meant what I said, Penny. You did your best – we all did. It just…" Tears rolled in bloody streaks down her cheeks. "We just ran out of time." She turned her head to the side and coughed wetly. When she brought her face back around, her chin was stained with dark runnels. Too dark to be blood. It flaked and wisped on tiny currents, and Ruby scrubbed the back of her hand against it roughly to wipe it away.

"Ruby?" she said, horror flooding her broken frame. "What's wrong?"

There was a moment when Penny was sure Ruby had stopped breathing, but finally she looked up. If Penny could have, she would have pulled her friend into a tight embrace. As it was, Penny could only just manage to – jerkily – force her hand up to clutch at Ruby's. Her beautiful silver eyes were now a solid, glossy black.

"Oh no… No, no, no…"

Ruby hugged her tighter, and even managed a wan smile. "It's not so bad, Penny. Worse ways, and all that." It was then that Penny realized: Ruby was dying. Her friend was going, and she couldn't do anything to stop it.

 _Please, no. Please! Make it stop! I don't want to know this!_ She didn't want to watch this memory play out, but she was helpless, enthralled.

"Ruby, I…" she felt her heart shattering. There only seemed to be one last thing to say. "I.. I love you." It came out as the barest whisper.

She watched as Ruby's lip quivered. She scrunched down and laid her forehead against Penny's. "I know – I've always known." She drew a shaky breath. "I lo#$-

 **===-=-##!64888addressnull=-=-=- -==-**

 **#End of recoverable addressed blocks##_**

* * *

 **Stardate 45430**

"They're everywhere! Fall back!" Commander Riker's shout jarred Penny from her reverie. Wordless shouts were punctuated by the hissing of energy weapons-fire. Those in turn were followed by the unmistakable roaring of both Ursa and Beowulves. She spun around on one knee and knew immediately that this was _her_ fault. The memories had come at the cost of her own emotional well-being, and it had acted as Beacon to Grimm that had been starved for centuries.

The tableau before her was one of desperation. The Starfleet officers were firing beams of red energy at several creatures that had forced the doors farther open. The lasers were having little effect, but were holding most of the creatures at bay. Everyone had taken cover behind whatever they could, but she could see that it wasn't going to be enough.

She stood and engaged her Dust tethers – or she tried to. Her blades weren't responding. One of the Beowulves leapt onto the chair, which Commander Riker and Data had put between themselves and the beasts. It reared back with a howl when the pair fired on it, and then swiped a savage paw at them. Data dropped his weapon and interposed himself between the paw and his companion. "Data!" she cried. She stretched out a hand in helplessness anguish, only to be shocked at what happened.

Data's arms seized the claws so quickly that she doubted any normal person could have seen more than a blur. He stopped it cold, though he was shaking with the effort to hold it back. She reached for the only weapon nearby, and heaved. Crescent Rose tore free with a joyous ring that showered debris onto the floor. Penny bounced up, and then quickly planted her tucked feet onto the wall and pushed off. "Down!" she shouted.

She flew toward the Beowulf and was relieved to see Data dodge out of the way just far enough for her to sail past. The blade of the scythe hooked the creature around the midsection, and she sent up a silent prayer as she pulled the trigger. Nothing happened, so she growled and whipped herself around, and then jammed her feet on its back. She bent to adjust her grip closer to the head of Crescent Rose and then tugged on the shaft as hard as she could.

The blade tore through the creature with surprising ease, and Penny tumbled down. Her hip bounced against the arm of the chair and she landed awkwardly. Before she could turn to find another target, something connected with her back and sent her sprawling to the ground. She felt a hand clamp around her ankle with a vice-like grip and drag her across the floor.

She rolled over and prepared to swing Crescent Rose, but froze when she saw that it was Data pulling her to 'relative' safety.

"Nice of you to rejoin us, Miss Polendina!" Commander Riker shouted without looking. He trained his weapon and fired another beam. "We're too far underground for transport, and the phasers don't seem to doing much." He paused to fire again. "I'm open to suggestions!"

She rolled to one knee and swiped at a claw. "Can you shoot at them with shorter, rapid bursts?"

"Yes!"

"Then aim for their faces – blind them as best you can!" She gathered her legs underneath her. "I'll handle the rest!"

Commander Riker raised his voice over the din. "You heard the lady! Attack pattern Gamma Three!" He used his free hand to press some buttons on his phaser and took careful aim.

Penny ducked her head for a quick look to get a layout of the battle. She simulated her plan on the fly, and three seconds later, she shouted, "Now!"

The air hummed with coordinated fire and she vaulted over the back of the chair. She was going to repay these peoples' kindness. For her sake, for the memory of Ruby, and Weiss, and everyone else that she'd lost.

Penny went to work.

* * *

 **Stardate 45442.1**

Penny set her brush and palette down on the table and stepped back to observe her handiwork. "I think it's finally done, Data." She leaned closer to inspect the finer details for a moment before she straightened with a satisfied nod. "Yes, I am finished."

He moved around from his own canvas and circled to stand to her right. He observed the painting in silence for a few moments, taking in the fruits of her labor. "These were your friends," he said. She inclined her head. "You appear to be a gifted artist, Penny." He stepped closer, and indicated the figure farthest to the left.

"Blake Belladonna," she said, "and her partner, Yang Xiao Long – who was also Ruby's half-sister." She stepped forward and indicated each of her friends as she named them. Ren, Nora, Jaune, Weiss, she identified them all with a clear voice, but it broke when she came at last to Ruby. Her memory had slowly returned over the last several days, though not completely.

The scene she had chosen to depict had been one of the few happy times she had been able to remember; a rare victory get-together that had taken place after a particularly awful battle just outside the city of Mistral. She had recalled that the space they shared was cramped, but they had made do. Weiss leaned back against Jaune's chest, their arms entwined. Ren held Nora in his lap while she had her arms flung out; Blake and Yang stood behind them, the latter with the hand of her prosthetic arm splayed out over the table, pointed at Ruby. They were all sharing in laughter at some terrible pun Yang had made, one that Penny couldn't quite recall now – but she had remembered the feeling of the moment.

"They were my comrades, my friends – some of the best people you could ever hope to meet, live with, or fight beside." She clasped her left elbow, and the fingers of her free hand rested on Ruby's emblem at her hip. "I miss them terribly." Of course there were others that she remembered, and she would paint them all, eventually. For now, she stood and tried to recapture the joy of it all. It was bittersweet, but she could feel it, if distantly.

"It is a fitting tribute, Penny," he replied. "It is a shame to have missed the opportunity to meet them." He placed a hand on her shoulder, and she drew her own up to cover it. "Have you considered a title yet?"

She had, in fact. "Family," she replied.

The Enterprise was scheduled to depart for Starbase 514 in the morning. After their encounter with the Grimm, a few attempts to investigate the sites of the Kingdoms had been made. A closer study of the creatures had also been carried out, and an effective defense against them had been discovered. Penny had offered what help she could, but had refused to return to the surface. Perhaps, one day, she would come back, but it all felt too close, too painful.

"Thank you, Data, for suggesting we do this." She thought to say more, but was interrupted by the chime of the door. She leaned to the side. "Come in."

The hatch parted to reveal Captain Picard, and she moved from behind the easels. He stepped inside and gave her a look up and down, and nodded to himself, adjusting a small, flat case under his arm as he did so. Ensign Ruel – the young security officer whom she had met on her first waking moments aboard – followed the captain inside. She pulled a large rolling case behind her and stopped just behind him. She gave Penny a small, enigmatic smile and a tiny nod, which Penny returned. "You're dismissed, Ensign, thank you."

"Aye, Sir." She winked at Penny as she turned to go, a silent promise to return later. Their time together on the surface, after the attack, had been brief, but they had developed a bond. It may have been born in battle, but that didn't mean it couldn't carry forward.

As the doors hissed shut, Captain Picard took a moment to look at whatever Data had been painting before turning his attention to her. "I hope that I'm not intruding, Miss Polendina."

"Not at all, Captain," she said brightly. "We were just – or rather I should say – I was just finishing up. Would you care to see?"

"I'd be delighted," he replied as he stepped around to stand beside them. They listened quietly as she told them about her friends, and the captain asked a question here and there as he admired the painting. When she had finished, the captain turned to her companion. "Mr. Data, would you excuse us, please?"

"Certainly, sir," he replied. He covered his canvas with a cloth and moved toward the doors.

"Thank you again, Data. Can we paint together again soon?"

He turned and said, "That would be acceptable, Penny. Captain."

Once they were alone, the aged man turned to face her with an affable expression. "Well, Miss Polendina, it would seem that you've had quite a time since you were brought aboard. I don't think I've ever seen Lieutenant Worf develop such respect for someone so quickly." He raised his eyebrows, but paused to invite comment from her.

"Oh, I only did what I was built to do. I'm just glad nobody was seriously hurt." If she was being honest with herself, the away team's injuries had given her a great deal of concern. None of these people had Aura, something that she had tried to explain more than once. Fortunately, twenty-fourth century medicine was so advanced that it practically negated the need for 'mysticism' and 'superstition', as she'd overheard a nurse claim.

The captain shook his head. "Don't sell yourself short, Miss Polendina. I'm convinced that the outcome would have been far less positive had you not been there to assist." He took the case from beneath his elbow and held it up for her to open. As she unfastened the clasps, he changed the subject. "I've chosen to return this to you," he said, simply.

She lifted the lid and let out a happy sound, drawing her hand to cover her mouth. Crescent Rose had been collapsed down to her compact carry form, but she had been cleaned and polished as carefully as Ruby would have. Penny had been _extremely_ reluctant to surrender her to a stranger, even these good people. Data had eventually managed to convince her that the weapon would be treated with great care and respect, but that security protocols must be observed. Her hand shook as she laid her fingers against the cool metal.

"Of course," the captain continued, "according to Federation regulations, passengers are not permitted to keep weapons in their personal quarters." She looked up to find a serious expression on his face. "However, these are extraordinary circumstances. I expect you will behave responsibly with this artifact of your home-world, _Crewman."_

Penny could not help but gasp again, this time in plain shock.

"That's right, Miss Polendina," he responded with a faint smile. She had indicated to Data her decision shortly after their return from Salem's keep, but hadn't expected to receive an answer, or to be rebuffed after the near-disaster of the away mission. "My senior staff speak very highly of your conduct. Commander Riker in particular feels that you've displayed the best ideals expected of any member of Starfleet." He paused for a moment to carry Crescent Rose to a table that sat against the inner bulkhead, where he laid her down carefully.

Captain Picard did not turn, but instead gazed at Crescent Rose. "With my recommendation, the Federation has approved your… colorful application for citizenship, and Starfleet Command has agreed to allow you to remain aboard the Enterprise." He turned to face her. "You will report to Commander Riker at zero eight-hundred for training and duty assignments-"

Penny moved in and threw her arms around the man. "Thank you, Captain!" She was overjoyed at the news. So much so, in fact, that it took her a moment to realize that he had tensed up. When she leaned back, his expression was one of amused consternation. "Oh!" She released him and hopped back a step. "I'm sorry, Captain – I guess I got caught up in the moment."

Penny gave him a hopeful smile, and for a moment he fixed her with an inscrutable look. Then, just when she was sure she'd committed some social blunder, the corner of his mouth drew up and he slowly shook his head. "You are not at all as I imagined you would be, Miss Polendina. I believe we can let it slide," he held up a cautionary finger, "but just this once." He held out his hand, and she clasped it firmly. "Welcome aboard, Penny."

"Thank you, sir. I will do my very best to serve well." She felt a welter of emotions. Sadness, joy, excitement and other sensations played across her nerve centers. Her original purpose may be gone, but it wasn't forgotten. These people, her rescuers, new friends – they had proven themselves worthy of her admiration and support many times over. That was how she would honor the sacrifice her family had made.

"I expect nothing less, Crewman." He patted her hand and turned to leave, but paused as he drew near the case that Ensign Ruel had brought inside. "Oh yes," he said diffidently. He hovered his hand over the beige plastic. "This was found at the site of the away mission – Salem's Keep, you called it. In addition to your other duties, Starfleet would like you to examine this artifact and report whatever information you can."

She hesitated for a moment, wondering what it might be. "Sir?" she asked, uncertain how to frame the question.

He let his hand drop. "Understand, Miss Polendina, this is not an order, but a request. If you choose to assist, please, take whatever time and resources you need." When she did not respond, he moved close enough to the doors to make them open. "Well then, good evening, Miss Polendina."

Penny watched him go, and looked to the container. Before she did anything, though, she felt compelled to see to Crescent Rose. In short order, she had Ruby's sweetheart unfurled and hung above the table. She stood there a while and just enjoyed the stillness of the moment. After a while though, she realized that there were things to do.

"What do you think, Ruby? Should we see what they found?" Of course, there was no reply, but she imagined her friend's exuberant ponderings about what it might be. "I completely agree!" She laid the container on its side and opened it.

A single object was held within. It was an ornate looking thing, and her eyes grew wide at the sight. She had never seen it for herself, but there was no mistaking its description. Golden arms flared up around a glowing blue sphere. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she could hear faint whispering as the light pulsed in time with her own heartbeat.


End file.
